Tories: Ed Miliband will leave UK open to 'nuclear blackmail' if he does deal with SNP

Michael Fallon, the Defence Secretary, will warn that Labour could end up
getting rid of the UK’s Trident nuclear deterrent as part of a deal with the
SNP if there is another hung Parliament after next month’s election.

Britain will be open to “nuclear blackmail by rogue states” because Ed Miliband is “so desperate for power” he is willing to “barter Britain's national security,” the Conservatives will say.

Michael Fallon, the Defence Secretary, will use a speech on Thursday to warn that Labour could end up getting rid of the UK’s Trident nuclear deterrent as part of a deal with the SNP if there is another hung Parliament after next month’s election.

The Conservatives are to make a £100 billion manifesto commitment to guarantee a continuous at sea nuclear deterrent by committing to build a new fleet of four Successor Ballistic Missile Submarines, Mr Fallon will say.

However, in a highly personal attack, he will warn that Mr Miliband “would be prepared to trade Britain's national security just to get his hands on the keys to Downing Street”.

Separately, Mr Fallon wrote an article in the Times in which he launched a deeply personal attack on Mr Miliband over the leadership contest he won against his brother David in 2010.

"Ed Miliband stabbed his own brother in the back to become Labour leader. Now he is willing to stab the United Kingdom in the back to become prime minister."

The comments are the most vivacious made so far in what is becoming an increasingly bitter general election campaign.

The Labour leader has said that he would not do a coalition deal with the SNP but has failed to rule out a “confidence and supply” agreement where Nicola Sturgeon’s Westminster MPs help Mr Miliband get key measures through the Commons.

With polls increasingly pointing to another hung Parliament, the Conservatives are repeating their claim that Mr Miliband will be “held to ransom” by Miss Sturgeon and Alex Salmond, the former SNP leader.

In an attack on the SNP’s “childlike world view”, Mr Fallon will say: “[Nicola Sturgeon] has told Ed Miliband that scrapping Trident - our country's vital nuclear deterrent - is a red line she will not cross. If he wants the keys to Number 10, he must abandon any plans to renew our current Vanguard ballistic missile submarines.

"The SNP's childlike world view would sacrifice the long-term security of the UK and play into the hands of our enemies. The nuclear deterrent protects all of Britain and the SNP represents a separatist threat that would dangerously weaken our collective defence. When Britain faces nuclear blackmail by rogue states, this self-indulgent approach is more suited to a student protest group than a party of government. Britain doesn't pay ransoms and the Conservatives would never bow to demands from Scottish separatists."

Mr Fallon will say that on May 7 “the future of our country's security will be on the ballot paper too”.

Ed Miliband's gaffes:

"Nicola Sturgeon has offered to make Ed Miliband Prime Minister if he meets her shopping list of more debt, unlimited welfare, and junking our nuclear deterrent,” Mr Fallon will say. “It is a sign of Ed Miliband's weakness that he has failed to rule out a deal. Voters can only conclude that he would be prepared to trade Britain's national security just to get his hands on the keys to Downing Street.”

He will add: “There will be a clear choice between a Conservative government that will put our national security first. Or Ed Miliband, a man so desperate for power he is ready to barter away our nuclear deterrent in a backroom deal with the SNP.”